SG586: Designing with the Queen of Succulents – Debra Lee Baldwin

If you are a fan of succulents - and it seems that they’ve justifiably charmed every living, breathing gardener on planet earth - then today’s show will be a total joy for you. I got the chance to talk succulents with the Queen of Succulents - Debra Lee Baldwin.Debra has a new book out, it’s the 2nd edition of her book Designing with Succulents; which has so much new material it could well be considered an entirely new book altogether.

Debra is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the launch of her book, Designing with Succulents, which has been completely revised and updated. Her book launched a global interest in succulents and it’s also how Debra earned her moniker as the Queen of Succulents. The 2nd edition of Designing with Succulents has an additional 400 gorgeous and inspiring photos. It encapsulates the essentials of the original along with a decade’s worth of appealing and innovative ideas.

Debra considers this book to be the culmination of her career - that’s saying something. As Australian nurseryman and authorAttila Kapitany, in his address to the biennial convention of the Cactus & Succulent Society of America said, “The growing interest in succulents on the part of the gardening public can be attributed primarily to one person: Debra Lee Baldwin.”

Debra is a journalist.She researches her topics very thoroughly; getting first hand accounts from folks growing and working with succulents, corresponding with succulent experts from around the world. Incredibly, Debra personally photographed the work of great designers - world-class designers, the best of creative homeowners - showcasing the cleverness and creativity of these profoundly enthusiastic succulent gardeners; many of whom used the first edition as a starting point. Debra's book highlights the very best designs of everyday gardeners and professionals, sharing innovations, tips, and ideas - everything that’s new and exciting in the world of succulents. The book has a whole section in the back of plants that are perfect for your own succulent garden.

Chatting with Debra makes for a lovely interview because she is a conscious competent when it comes to succulents - she knows what she knows and she’s crystal clear when it comes to sharing her expertise and passion for succulents.

Debra specializes in showing how top designers use architectural, waterwise and easy-care succulents in a wide variety of creative applications .Fleshy or spikey, minuet or ginormous, succulents come in all sorts of growth habits, colors, and shapes.In Debra’s revised edition, you also get two super-useful supplements: one that lets you choose plants by specific characteristics (such as size, color, or texture), and one that profiles the best companion plants for succulents.

Whether you’re just discovering the wonderful world of succulents, or a succulentaficionado determined to collect as many species as you can, today’s show will fan the flames of your passion for succulents.

Let’s set the roses, hydrangea, and wildflowers aside today - and get down and dirty with the Queen of Succulents - here’s Debra Lee Baldwin and Designing with Succulents.

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“Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”― Robert Louis Stevenson.

What Listeners Are Saying...

I never write reviews but this is the best gardening podcast out there. Jennifer has interesting topics and guests and is not one bit annoying like some others are. I love that she involves her kids at the end of the podcast - usually with poetry or music. Really good podcast.

- Barbcfc, Mar 23, 2016

Still Growing is one of the reliably informative gardening podcasts from North America. The format consists of an intro (personal gardening status chat, seasonal remarks), an extended interview with a guest, and an outro with funny outtakes, side remarks, and some chatter (poems, readings) from the host's children. The podcast is focused on reliable knowledge - the guests are typically experts like academics, master gardeners, gardening entrepreneurs or public garden leaders. The intro and especially the outro give it a homey feel. Given I live in the high northern region, just a little below the Polar Circle, I'm always looking for more cold-weather oriented gardening information. Jennifer Ebeling is in Minnesota, so that's helpful to me! Vegetable gardening (my main interest) gets a good share, but is not predominant. Most topics transcend your specific gardening interest and are applicable to many styles: landscaping principles, vermicomposting, greenhouses. The episodes are typically an hour long, which is just fine for me.

- cwaigl, May 29, 2014

Best gardening podcast out there. Her preparedness leads to a good interaction with the guests and brings out the best in them. Very informative and yet personable.

- Corn bug, June 15, 2016

This is a great podcast. Really well produced and organized with good sound quality. I love the mix of information and personal touches. Jennifer has great guests and asks the best questions. You can tell she really does her homework. I listen to several gardening podcasts and this is my absolute favorite!

- So Cal Gardengirl, June 19,2016

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Jennifer Ebeling is a proud Minnesotan and U of MN alumni. Gooooooo Gophers!
Each week, Jennifer produces and hosts Still Growing - a gardening podcast dedicated to helping you and your garden grow. The show is an in-depth interview format. Guests featured on the show share a passion for gardening and include authors, bloggers, professional gardeners, etc. Listeners and guests of the show can join the Still Growing community on Facebook. It's a place to ask questions, share garden stories, interact with great guests featured on the show, and continue to grow and learn. Jennifer and her husband Philip have four children, a big golden lab named Sonny, and live in lovely Maple Grove, Minnesota.
P.S. When she's not teaching her four kids a new card game - or teaching them how to drive a car - Jennifer loves inspiring individuals and groups to maximize and personalize their home & garden.

1 Comment

Hello Jennifer
Thank you for sharing the world of gardening. Please contact me if I can be of help rounding up a panel of garden railroaders for an interview or panel discussion. I’ve done this a few times with success.